Hearing Matters Podcast

Patient Centered Care feat. Peter Fick, HIS | Fick Hearing Aid Center

March 16, 2021 Hearing Matters Season 2 Episode 17
Hearing Matters Podcast
Patient Centered Care feat. Peter Fick, HIS | Fick Hearing Aid Center
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Show Notes Transcript

The Hearing Matters Podcast discusses hearing technology (more commonly known as hearing aids), best practices, and a growing national epidemic - Hearing Loss. The show is hosted by father and son - Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS and Dr. Gregory Delfino, CCC-A. Blaise Delfino and Dr. Gregory Delfino treat patients with hearing loss, tinnitus, and Central Auditory Processing Disorder at Audiology Services, located in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

On this episode we interview Peter Fick, owner of Fick Hearing Aid Center.  Peter has been treating hearing loss for over 35 years! Fick Hearing Aid Center strives to treat each patient as if they were their own family member to ensure they receive the best possible hearing care. They focus on continually serving those struggling with hearing loss with the best value in hearing aid technology in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. As an established business in the communities they serve they try to enrich the lives of area residents with better hearing.

On this episode you will learn: 

  • How Peter Fick got involved in the hearing healthcare industry 
  • What it's like working at a family owned and operated private hearing healthcare practice 
  • The importance of leaving work at the office 
  • Why you should speak highly of the industry you're in to your family members, especially if you have children
  • The importance of a patient centered model 
  • Why you should visit a licensed hearing healthcare professional 

About Fick Hearing Aid Center:

Our practice prides itself on taking care of each patient as if they were our own family member to receive the best possible hearing outcome. We focus on continually serving the hearing needs of the nearby communities with dedicated hearing care. In this process, our practice demonstrates disciplines and values to ensure fair and personalized hearing care for each patient.

Fick Hearing Aid Center's Guarantee:

1. Comprehensive Hearing  Evaluation
2. Recommend Only What Needs Recommending
3. Clear Understanding of the Hearing Journey and Results
4. Seeing and Hearing the Benefit (i.e. real ear measurement)
5. Treatment is More Than Just an Office Visit

About the Hearing Matters Podcast:

The Hearing Matters Podcast is hosted by Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS and his father/audiologist, Dr. Gregory Delfino, AuD, CCC-A. Together, Blaise and Dr. Delfino treat patients with hearing loss, tinnitus, and Central Auditory Processing Disorder at Audiology Services located in Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

We Heard You Have Some Questions? Let's Hear Em'!

Email: Blaise@audiologyservicesllcpa.com

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Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast Team

Email: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com

Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast

Twitter:
@hearing_mattas

Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast

Blaise Delfino:

You're tuned into the Hearing Matters Podcast with Dr. Gregory Delfino, and Blaise Delfino of Audiology Services and Fader Plugs, the show that discusses hearing technology, best practices, and a growing national epidemic hearing loss. On this episode, we have Peter Fick, from Fick Hearing Aid Center, located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Peter, welcome to the show.

Peter Fick:

Hey, thanks Blaise. Great to be here. Thanks for having me on.

Blaise Delfino:

Peter, it is such an honor to have you on the show. You are a thought leader in the hearing healthcare industry. You've been serving patients over 30 years at Fick Hearing Aid Center. Peter, what inspired you to enter the field of hearing healthcare?

Peter Fick:

Well, it's it was kind of a lead up to that I grew up in the music business, my father and I had a music store in Redding, Pennsylvania, for many, many years, and I met a fella that actually was in the hearing a business out of Philadelphia. And he had a stand at these Urns, farmers market down gilbertsville, some of these people might remember that anyhow, he I became friends with him and he got interested in hearing a business he was a hearing aid fitter and work for a doctor in Philadelphia. And it seemed very interesting, I grew up in the music business, and I knew there's things about sound, just even natural transition into just the hearing part of listening to music, hearing music and, and dealing with all types of folks and knowing people had hearing loss to kind of just drew me in, you know, that that's something maybe I'd want to be involved with in the future. And as things started to change in the music business, I gravitated more to you know, getting into the hearing a business and the years I had is, you know, dealing with the public and serving the public in a in music, which is certainly a a soulful business, if you will, it's you know, something that's joyful. And I kind of switched over into a business where you are helping people. So I kind of got the same feeling of joy, and fulfillment by now helping people that have hearing difficulties. And I started the business with my wife in a little office in Westlawn, Pennsylvania. And I just learned by treating people fairly and just being upright with them and doing something for their best interest, that it's more of a personal thing. And the gratification that I get from really helping people you know, sometimes it sounds cliche, it's makes it a pleasure and an excitement and a blessing actually to see these people and help them and now I'm helping their kids, their children, and so forth. So it's kind of a, it was a snowball effect, I guess would be the best thing. It just kind of grew and grew. And my love of just dealing from people, whether it was in the music business, or the hearing businesses, you know, I'm blessed, and I look forward every day to coming to, I don't even want to call this work or not. But you know, to my business or my office.

Blaise Delfino:

Peter, we've been friends for a few years now, and I think something that is so incredible just about your own, you know, personality, you're so empathetic, and really this term, and this word empathetic has been coming across the Hearing Matters Podcast for quite some time now. I'll never forget a conversation that we had at one of the hearing healthcare conferences, as you said, you know, Blaise when I'm working with a patient, I think to myself, and I say to myself, this is a child of God right across the desk from me. So I am going to give 120% to every single patient because I have the opportunity to walk with them throughout their new hearing journey. Tell us where that thought process you embodying a sense of empathy while working with your patients.

Peter Fick:

Hey, thanks for remembering that. I mean, I hope that made an impact and thank you. And thank you for thinking about that. It's truly a feeling you know, when you get to my age and 63 you go through a lot of journeys of life and selling items which are in the music world, you know, or not, sometimes can be just a luxury item. It was a guitar oregon back in the days when oregons were popular. So it was more or less you were creating a desire and that type of thing. And you were still enjoying the people as they were learning they're expanding their life and in music. And it's kind of transfer that over into the hearing industry is that is not always something somebody desires is a hearing aid. It's sometimes the last thing they want any kind of you know, kind of fight it a little bit and then when you can show them how you can change their life and improve things and give them so much benefit, you just see, you're being blessed to be able to do something like that. And also to make a living out of that business. It's, it's a blessing all over I mean, because you really, there's some days where you just you're not on your A game or you're just not feeling up to it, you know, whatever. And it's one of God's children's sitting across from you, and you want to give your best effort. I mean, there's times we're, I'm sure yourself, you come to work, and maybe, you know, you just aren't up to it or your physical, yeah, we're physical ailments, or whatever. And you know what, you kind of put that aside and put that patient first. And if you just keep doing that, you know, good things come from that. And I was never really about money in my world, because, you know, if I had made some money, I've lost some money, and, but it all comes fold, you know, if you give your best effort, and it comes through to the patient, because there's a lot of industries or businesses out there, where they don't put the person whether it's a patient or a client, or whatever it is, they forgot to put them first that we're here for them. And we're supposed to do the best for them. And, and I, you know, I think they deserve it. I think every human being deserves that no matter what they're purchasing. And, obviously, in the hearing world, it's, you know, and I'm sure you've seen it, too. I mean, some people have come through the door, and you didn't know, cognitively if something was wrong, or whatever. And all they really needed with hearing aids to open their world. And you see people crying and smiling and hugging and happy. It's the best feeling in the world,

Blaise Delfino:

It changed their life.

Peter Fick:

Yeah, it changed their life, right. And it's something you just can't get from a box and put it in your ear at home and think and get that same effect. I mean, it's a group effort, it's a team effort to make that work, and you're with them literally, for the rest of their lives sometimes, and, you know, even with this pandemic, it's, you know, it's the heartbreak of seeing a fair amount of my patients no longer here, and I can't always say they died from COVID. But you know, I'm seeing more than usual amount of my patients, obituaries, and you feel the pain for their family, and also for the relationship that with these people some 20 years, 25 years, they know me when my son was being born, you know, and it's a fulfilling and it's and it's, I have to say, it's probably one of the best feelings you can ever have when you're helping people. And you see all the fruits of your efforts, that's for sure.

Blaise Delfino:

Peter, you're a family owned, private practice. And on the Fick Hearing Aid Center website, you state we treat each patient, like they're family. And there's a parallel here because our practice is family owned as well tell us what it's like working with family, you and your wife started this business. You've been working on your craft for over 30 years. What is it like working with family?

Peter Fick:

Okay, well, before we started that, I wanted to also congratulate you on your wedding, you and Autumn. And were talking about family. I mean, I watched that all on Facebook, and I'm sure your parents are proud and sure, Autumn is proud. And again, you know, being that we're all kind of a you're in the family business. I'm in a family business. That's it, I always I wish the best and all the blessings in the world to you guys up there.

Blaise Delfino:

Thanks so much, Pete.

Peter Fick:

You're welcome. You're welcome. Well, I enjoy what I do. And my wife is a nurse by trade and when our son was born, and she got injured in our job and decided, you know what, after going through a couple relatives in the office and friends and so forth, they didn't have the same vision that I had, you know, they looked at it as a job, you know, which is kind of hard for me to look at this as a job. And, of course, my wife filled in, I'm the guy that's the fun guy, solving their problems, I'm having a good time with them. She's the black and white person, she pays the bills, she takes care of the patients at the front. She worked in health care, you know, in nursing home, so she's certainly related to a lot of senior citizens. And being that she's five foot, five foot 11, blonde hair, and she's, you know, nice to look at, you know, also as a receptionist. But other than that she is really keeps it all together. You know, it does everything to keep it running. She's really the engine that makes this whole thing go because I love what I do. And I enjoy the people and I love that fun relationship, but she really does the heavy lifting as keeping everything going. That's for sure. And you know, we're in this we're together. 24 hours a day. I mean, and um, you know, I'm sure you relate, I'm sure you relate to that, yes, you want to get it 24 hours. So, you know, personally, because the older you kind of get, you don't quite have the kind of mellow over a period of time. So I do not take home my work if possible, meaning if I've had a rough day or something wasn't programming, right, or something didn't work, right or I had just had a,

Blaise Delfino:

An off day

Peter Fick:

We were a bit busy, and I will not really take that home with me and discuss it at the dinner table or anything like that, you know, it's, you know, I just kind of leave it, you know, leave it here. So I do separate it.

Blaise Delfino:

When did you learn that, Peter, when I learned that, too, you know, because because honestly, there's, there's other hearing health care professionals that tune into the show, and even some are just starting their private practice. And especially when you're working in a family owned private practice learning to not take work home with you, before you get into it. This just came into my mind, I read this book called Deep Work by Cal Newport. And it's an incredible book, and he talks about deep work versus shallow work. And he said, when you leave the office, clap your hands and say, system shut down. And it sounds cheesy. But it's like, I do that. Because I don't want to bring work home in that space. Your home is a safe space, right? So sure, if you had a bad day, leave it at the office, guess what, it's going to be there for you tomorrow. But at what point, did you learn to say, you know what, I'm not going to bring that bad day home with me?

Peter Fick:

Well, I'm gonna have to tell you it was it was hard, it was hard, it was not easy. Because when I would go on vacation, and I remember doing this, when we were in Las Vegas, I would listen to my answering machine every day from the office. And, you know, because I felt like I had to hear it, I had to you know, I couldn't let you know, when I'm on vacation, there's nobody here, obviously. So being a family business, and it took some time to really kind of let go of the business, you know, that you just had to trust, I guess, you know, my my guess but my faith kind of had to come through, as I think my faith got stronger. It's like, you know what is gonna go you got to let it go. You deserve a vacation, you're good guy you do you work, you do hard work, or you take care of your patients, your concern your all everything possible. And you know, if you would feel bad, I feel better by a Wednesday, because I figured, well, they only have two more days, don't back. As opposed. If I got some of the problem on a Monday, I thought about that all week. Because you know that we've been there, right? So you know, you're, so you kind of had to learn to really, really let it go. And that's good for your spiritual, mental health, everything else that you just got to trust again, in God, in my case, you know that, okay, you know, you deserve the vacation, you're not really out to hurt anybody. But you need to step away to recharge yourself, that's even we have our conventions and stuff, even those two, three days, I love it. Because recharging the batteries. I mean, obviously some of the stuff we could go online and learn. But, you know, I can't wait till we get back to see each other to just see your race face, and then be able to touch people and shake their hand and put your arm around them to recharge that, but kind of got off the track on that little bit. But it's, you know, it took a while to do that, because you you're sincere. And you know, you know, you want to do the best for your patients. But as going home, my father who worked in the music business, and he remember he went to seminars and General Motors, at a big thing where family, were involved in dealerships where the father or grandfather needed pass it to the son and then the grandson. And one thing they said is never go home talking bad about the business. Because that person that you're saying that in front of could be your child, your delivery son, that they're already getting a bad feeling of whatever business you've got, you know that you should not bring that home with you. Because

Blaise Delfino:

Wow

Peter Fick:

That child's gonna look at you say, well, boy,

Blaise Delfino:

I don't why would they want to go in

Peter Fick:

You know

Blaise Delfino:

Dad's coming home all disgruntled every every night. Why would I want to do that? Yeah. And you know, it's interesting. There's a book called The E Myth by Michael Gerber talks about letting go of the vine and you have been working on your craft for over 30 years. You started the practice with your wife and it's, it's your family's baby and you you and your wife, you of course implement patient centric culture at Fick Hearing Aid center. What inspired and inspires you to implement that patient centric culture, why is it so important? And I think this also eventually leads into why you have such great patient outcomes.

Peter Fick:

Well, I wouldn't have my business if I didn't have my patients, and if I didn't take care of them. And I always say that they set the times that I'm open, you know, obviously, not Saturday mornings at five or six in the morning, but they set the tone for me, I work for them. People have a myth that they think, you know, oh, you're in your own business, you can just take off and do whatever you want. That's not how that works. I had to be there for them for years. I mean, when I was younger, I would golf once a week on a Sunday with a buddy of mine. And as times change, you know, I get in touch with a lot of older folks, a lot of older guys or women that, hey, we have seen your golf league come out, I was deathly afraid, ever to go golfing in the middle of the week, and give myself a couple hours off in the morning, afraid to see a patient out on the golf course. It's, hey, I tried to come see you this morning and I see you're out here golfing, yeah. Because they're, they have an expectation of me that I'm going to be there for them. And they are spending a fair amount of money of their own money, no matter what price the hearing aid is, you know, it's all money and expense to them. And I owe it to them really, to be here as much as I humanly can possible without affecting, you know, family life. And, you know, you do get the right to take off and that kind of stuff. But I, I kind of just grew up in that world where you know, they they come first I mean, if I gotta stay late, come in early, because they deserve it. And I can do that, you know, and I want to do that if I need something's going to go on. And then we have people going on trips, and hey, can you come see me before I go, and it's got to be not in my working hours. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have what I have and be blessed. And I think that's what kind of drives me is that and I'm not going to speak for you. But I know your personality. And I know your drive and I know your your your empathy and your concern. It breaks my heart when I go to someplace else, no matter what I'm purchasing and I don't see that.

Blaise Delfino:

Yeah. Unfortunately, it's it's sad. It really, really is. And I think that we have an opportunity here Pete, you know, Fick Hearing Aid Center, Audiology Services and the 10s of 1000s of other private practice owners have that opportunity to not only implement patient centric culture, but to let the patients know we are here to serve you service to many leads to greatness. It truly, truly does. And really, that's how the universe works. The more you give, the more you'll receive. And to keep that in motion is so important. And we get to give a gift every day, the gift of hearing, right, we get to give the gift of hearing every single day and you know, you brought up you'll go to different businesses nowadays and you don't feel that same, you know, patient or customer centric culture, and we live in the information age. And it seems as though there's so much information, Peter about hearing aids and purchasing hearing aids online and over the counter, which is a model we do not believe in. You should not buy hearing aids online, quote unquote, you should not buy hearing aids over the counter. Peter, why is it so important to visit a licensed hearing healthcare provider and or audiologist?

Peter Fick:

Well, I remember you saying it, I don't know. It was that when you were giving a seminar or something that this is a medical device. This is not a consumer device. This is a medical device. And I've incorporated that in into my presentations and counseling to my either prospective patients or people that are that wearing a hearing aids and a question that I've seen stuff obviously on TV and you know, that type of thing. And this is a medical device, and this should be really up to the professionals. And of course, you're going to get the best results when we're all working together as a team. And we're doing all the best practices, you know, for everybody from real ear to hearing examinations and, and everything it takes to make this successful experience for people. And I've actually kind of grown up in the world where I've seen this generalization has happened already in many things where they don't think they need the professional anymore in the music business where the music companies decided we don't need to sell our product in the music store. You know, we can just send it through the mail or we can do anything. I know you're a excellent musician and a guitar player. And I can never imagine you purchasing, I'm pretty sure you have a Martin guitar, correct me if I'm wrong

Blaise Delfino:

I do, and they're they, they're located right down the block, which is awesome.

Peter Fick:

Yeah, I'm jealous of you because you have your beautiful little meet and greets and your customer appreciation. So, yeah,

Blaise Delfino:

But I wouldn't buy that online, I wouldn't, I wouldn't buy a guitar. You need to go and you need to feel it right, you have to hold it in your hands and have the professional guide you

Peter Fick:

Correct, you have to hold that, you know, it might not have the same feeling on your hands, your action, the sound that you're looking for. So being coming out of the music industry, I knew that that was a failure. I mean, because people have to play the instrument, they have to hear the instrument, they've got to hear, you know, not every drum sounds the same, or guitar or piano. And that's the same I kind of take that mindset into my hearing aid world is, you know, yeah, you could buy something over the counter. Absolutely. And it's only gonna go as far as you can take it yourself. This is Jones, I mean, this is it, you want to go further and get all the benefits of a professional fitting, and a professional hearing aid. And, and someone's going to guide you into that, that purchase. So you get the right thing that's going to meet your budget, your lifestyle. Well, whatever your deciding factors is that you can have the excitement of hearing your minister at church, or hear your grandchildren, or go to the concerts or whatever it may be or go out enjoy dinner, you know, with family and friends. I mean, you really need a professional to guide you through that. And again, I mean, I've, I've, you know, remember a lot of things that you've spoken to me about it and a big one is price and value.

Blaise Delfino:

Absolutely.

Peter Fick:

You know, if you're not going to the you can't wear the hearing aid 80% of the time because it's over the counter, and it's not really working for you. Yeah, there's no value there. Doesn't matter what you paid for it, it's then is that going to taint the person that really needs it, because they're gonna say hearing aids don't work, because they've been misled to go buy something over the counter. And hey, you don't need a professional for that, you know, absolutely a bad, bad way to go in this business.

Blaise Delfino:

And for our listeners tuned in whether you're a current patient, prospective patient, and if you're in the Wyomissing area, of course, visit Peter Fick. You know, it's so important to also take into consideration that we don't hear with our ears we hear with our brain, we do not hear with our ears, we hear with our brain. The ears, of course, is a mechanism that channels that sound, but it's our brain that processes sound. That's why it is so important to visit a hearing healthcare professional because we're dealing with the brain. What hearing aids do is they decrease overall listening effort, they increase speech understanding and intelligibility. So important that you visit a licensed hearing healthcare provider or audiologist because we are dealing with the brain. And we need to tune the hearing aid specifically to your type and degree of hearing loss. The hearing aid purchase is not an Add To Cart model. Peter, what do you like most? What do you like most about being a hearing healthcare professional?

Peter Fick:

There's a lot of things. Obviously, my relationship with my patients, and I know you experienced that, too, when they're bringing you cookies, or just the Hey, I thought of you I picked something up at a store. And they're coming in here just to say hi, or pick up some batteries that they you know, because we see a lot of people I can honestly say I'm not thinking of every patient every day. But somehow we make an effect on their life that they think of us because of what we've done and changed their life.

Blaise Delfino:

Yeah.

Peter Fick:

So I mean, I wouldn't trade this experience and this for anything in the world. And I think that's why when we see over the counters, and some of those things going on in the world, they're just looking at it as an iPhone, or an Android phone or whatever, they're just looking at it as this really has no relationship and the guy that sells my iPhone, I have no relationship with that person. I'm not going to, you know, bake cookies or think of him and get something I saw on the store. But when they come into you, and you really sense the effect that you had on your life. I mean, it's you know, I mean, I don't think about it every day because I'm doing my thing. But when you asked me to think about it, it almost kind of overwhelms you and floods you with a lot of emotion. Really, you're making a difference. And I you know, and I feel a little sometimes insulted when someone thinks that all the effort your parents put into your business and all the things They've taken care of you and your wife involved in the business and other support staff, you know, that they think this is just, you know, that you could do without it, you know, and, you know, obviously going through the pandemic. And I think we touched on a little bit that this was a non essential business. And we know people were suffering out there, because they couldn't hear their hearing aids weren't up to par, and the people were wearing masks around them. And they're alone in a nursing room, nursing home, and no family, nobody to communicate with. And it really, I think, put the emphasis on how important there's businesses and the personal connection, and the touch, and the differences that we do make, and I'm proud of what I do, and I'm sure you are too. And, and I mean, the more I talk about it, it just, you know, you meet makes me even more passionate, of what we're doing, and how important we are to the community and to the world.

Blaise Delfino:

We have the opportunity to connect our patients on a daily basis to a new hearing world, so they can of course, hear life's story.

Peter Fick:

Absolutely.

Blaise Delfino:

Peter, what would you tell individuals who are on the fence moving forward? with hearing technology? What would you tell those patients?

Peter Fick:

Well, I'd say, first of all, you know, they should come see us, or obviously, they're in your Nazareth area, come see you. And I always tell people, I'm not gonna hurt you, you know, I'm for you, I'm on your side, I want you to hear the best you can for what's going to meet your budget, you know, I people are scared, they've gone to other outlets, and they've been bombarded with very high prices, and they're, and they're scared, you know, or they see something over the, you know, on the counter on TV, and, you know, and they don't know, they're confused, they don't, they're confused, to see one price here and extremes over there. And,

Blaise Delfino:

And we have that opportunity not only at Fick you know, you know yourself that we're going to test them do all the right, best practices for them and make sure there's no medical issues. And if there are, you know, in my case, I have a working relationship with the head ENT at the reading hospital, that I can refer them to professional, that definitely, you know, as his confidence in me that I'll take care of his patients that need any hearing, and help or anything like that. So you know, that we're going to do the best they can. And we're going to fit them with the hearing aids, do all the proper things, and, you know, let them experience it. And, you know, if we have to make any alterations or changes, you know, again, I, I tell them, and I think they show that because I'm doing this 36 years, believe it or not, that their best interest is what's at my heart, you know, because you see them come in, they need to hear you, they're not coming in here, just to see, you know, how I'm doing. You know, a lot of times the and I know,you know this too that, if it's a husband, you know, sometimes he's by himself, or the wife's with him, you know, the families kind of egging him on to come in, you know, and, you know, sometimes I see it with the wife, and, you know, you want to put them at ease, that, you know, I'm on your side, you know, we want you to hear the best you can, and I'm going to you're going to participate in this, everything you know, that we're going to do, you're going to be a participant, I'm not going to be dictating something to you or making you feel uncomfortable or pressured. Because, you know, we're going to go through this process together. And you know, at the, at the end of the, the, the trying or the wearing or whenever it gets the better word. Yeah, is, you know, we're here. And because they're my best advertisement in the world. Yes, yeah, I'm doing this 36 years, most people that were hearing aid, don't walk around telling, they love their hearing aids, the people that aren't happy will tell everybody. So my best my best person is to have these people happy, happy, how have they been treated, and the experience and now that I'm selling them over a period of 30 some years, maybe two or three sets of hearing aids as time has gone on and hearing has changed, Hearing Aid Center and Audiology Services, but also, like I said lifestyles change, they want something more advanced in technology with the Bluetooth technology rechargeables or whatever, that you know, you're doing the right thing when you're getting those people coming back in and also their their children and now their children's children, you know, might need hearing aids and you know, you know that you're, that's the my best barometer and all that is, you know, they all earlier, the 10s of 1000s of other private practices out they come back and, and I'm blessed because I started out by treating the first person you know, and doing the best I can to give them all I could give to make sure that they're gonna have the benefit and feel at ease and happy with their, you know, hearing aids and so I, I think they all kind of just spins around. And it's kind of nice that you've seen it over 30 some years, that it really validates what we've been doing. And we're here and you see people come and go in this business, hit or miss and it breaks your heart because they wind up, you know, they're coming to me, and I'll serve as them as they purchase the hearing aid from me, because I don't want that to be a mark on the hearing aid business. I want people to feel like the professional is you know it, you know, this is something tha most of the professionals are here to really take care of you and be sincere. there, we have the opportunity to continue to raise awareness of hearing health care the importance of visiting a licensed hearing, healthcare professional or audiologist. And for those individuals who are on the fence moving forward with hearing technology, make sure you go to a practice that is of course patient centric, but also follows best practice. Peter, we always say that our patients do not wear their hearing aids in the drawer. Data logging says otherwise, and that our patients and your patients are wearing their hearing aids all day, every day. And that's because we've trained them correctly. Peter, I want to thank you so much for coming on the Hearing Matters Podcast, it's been a pleasure. I wish you and your wife and you know the Fic Hearing Aid Center team, all o the the health and abundanc right now. And thank you for al that you have done for ou hearing healthcare industr almost 40 years. It' incredible. So thank you fo taking care of your patient with first class patient centri culture

Peter Fick:

Well, before I go ablaze, I just makes me It warms my heart, that you have young people like yourself and in this industry, that are coming behind us. And I think it's very, very important that you see what it takes and what it does take to keep a successful business and to treat these people well. You impressed me the first time I saw you, you know, speaking years ago. And I have to say that your family is they're blessed to have somebody and your family and your wife, you know, certainly wonderful people, and I don't wanna keep anybody out. But between you and me. I mean, it's great to see young people that are taking up the slack, we are the soldiers, we are the soldiers, we're the ones that are going to have to go into a nursing home or go to somebody's house, to make sure our patients are happy. And I'm glad there's people like yourself that have the vision to do that. And with all the other new technology that's coming through that you're going to see that, you know, by the time I retire or what you know, from this business that there's you know, warms me, like I said, it's glad to see somebody like yourself, and I'm sure there's a lot of other folks, you know, with the same mindset as you and that are going to take care of these folks, you know, once that, you know we move on and retire. So again, thank you for what you're doing. And for you know, innovating a lot of new things in the business and I'm learning from you. I'm doing this 30 some years, but it's always a pleasure to deal with you and your mom and dad are great folks, too. But you keep me going.

Blaise Delfino:

Thank you so much, Peter. That means a lot to us. Thank you. You're tuned in to the Hearing Matters Podcast with Dr. Gregory Delfino, and Blaise Delfino of Audiology Services and Fader Plugs. On this episode, we had Peter Fick from Fick Hearing Aid Center in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Until next time, hear life's story.